Democratic leader pressures Scott, Legislature to implement Obamacare

The incoming Democratic leader in the Florida House is
putting pressure on elected officials (read: Republicans) to get moving on
implementing the Affordable Care Act.

“With the election over, today I am urging Governor Scott to
take action to implement the nation’s health care reform law,” said Rep. Perry
Thurston, D-Plantation, in a statement.

Thurston said he was encouraged by Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to drop his staunch opposition to the
president’s healthcare reform, known as Obamacare. However, the Democrats are
putting pressure on Scott and the Republican-led Legislature to take action on implementing
the law in order to meet federal deadlines that will be hitting in the coming
weeks.

The deadlines to announce plans for a state-based healthcare
exchange start as early as Friday. If state lawmakers don’t make proactive
plans in the next few weeks, the federal government will act on Florida’s behalf.

Thurston’s Republican counterpart, incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said
that the state will begin to move soon, but the federal government has not
provided enough guidance.

“The problem is, there are hundreds of questions that are
out there with regard to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act,” said
Weatherford.

Weatherford said the next move is to look at whether the
state would benefit from a state-run health exchange, a federally-managed
exchange, or some kind of compromise.

While deadlines for the state exchanges are imminent,
another major decision left to the state will be whether or not to expand
Medicaid to cover more people. Scott and other elected officials originally expressed unwavering opposition to
that prospect, but Pres. Obama’s reelection appears to have created some
flexibility among Florida’s
top lawmakers.

The top concern is how much the Medicaid expansion—which originally
will be paid for by the federal government—will cost Florida in the long-run. There are signs
that it could save hospitals money.

“We don’t know the true cost for the state,” said
Weatherford. “And for us to agree to something without knowing the true fiscal
impact to the state is a little premature.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
– Today, Representative Perry Thurston
(D-Plantation), the House Democratic Leader-designate, issued the following
statement on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Florida.

“With
the election over, today I am urging Governor Scott to take action to implement
the nation’s health care reform law. While encouraged by recent remarks by the
governor on this topic, decisions still need to be made for Florida to meet approaching deadlines
established under the law. A significant deadline is tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 16)
to announce whether our state intends to create a digital marketplace, or
exchange, where consumers can shop for health insurance. In addition, I urge my
colleagues in the Florida
Legislature to remain mindful of other upcoming deadlines toward Affordable
Care Act implementation that may require our prompt input.”

The
following are a few deadlines facing Florida
regarding Affordable Care Act implementation:

· Friday, November
16: Deadline to submit a declaration of intent letter to federal health
regulators concerning establishment of a state-run health exchange.

· December
14, 2012: Deadline to submit applications for a state-run health exchange,
including a draft plan.